Film gate



June 18, 1940. K. BRENKERT FILM GATE Filed Jan. 21, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 1 NN M l l QN @N QN HNR ATTORNEY.

June 18, 1940. K. BRENKERT 2,204,884

FILM GATE Filed Jan. 21, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 18, 1940 Karl Brellke, Detroit, meh.,

lllllnorto Brenkert Light Projection vom, Detroit,

Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application naar, 21. in, sum N. :52,14:

4Claims.

'Ihe present invention pertains tc a novel film gate structure for a motion picture projector. One of the objects of the `invention is to provide an improved means for moving the gate relatively l to the aperture plate. v

To permit the necessary movement of the gate for threading the film', a gate hinged to a llxed part of the machine is more commonly used. 'Ihe hinged gate, however, presents certain obl jections in construction and operation. A horizontally slldable gate has been proposed, with springs normally holding the gate in closed position. This construction is also objectionable in that the springs must be resisted in opening ,the ll gate and slam the gate against the nlm andaperture plate, with a ldetrimental effect, when released. The proposed sliding gate also involves problems in the matter o'f'support and construction, all of which are considerably siml0 plied by the present invention.l In general, the' present invention provides an improved and simplified sliding gate firmly supported by the main housing structure, independently of the aperture plate, and locked without the use of the springs. 2s Another object of the invention is the provision of novel pads in the gate with a common means for adjusting the spring tension thereon. The separate pads are engage'd by leaf springs anchored to a common rod journaled in the gate l0 body. A single adjusting device is provided for adjusting the angular position of the rod against the tension of the springs and hence regulating the spring tension simultaneously on all of the pads. The pads are provided in pairs at, above and below the lm aperture, to hold the film flat before reaching and after leaving the aperture, to insure the desired flat condition at the aperture. Although the pads cover a substantial length of 40 film, a thick splice in the nlm will not disturb the frame at the aperture until engaging the pads at opposite -sides of the aperture, since the latter are separate from the pads above and below the aperture. i 5 A further object of the invention is to provide a gate assembly that is easily removable from the projector housing. In this connection, the gate is mounted on a sliding carriage and is fastened thereto with only one screw. The screw is easily accessible and can be turned by hand to free the gate from the carriage.

Ihe invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the. following description and the u accompanying drawings, in which: -1

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the gate assembly;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 ofFigure l:

Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 3--3 of Figure 2; 5

Figure 4 is a detail end view of the lens tube;

ligure 5 isa section on the line I-l of Figure 1, an

. Figure 6 is a section on the line O--I of Figure l.

lReference to these views will now be made by use of like characters that are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

In Figures 5 and 6 is shown one of the end walls l of a projector housing having a lengthwise `vertical wall or partition 2 constituting the inner side wall of the nlm compartment and ordinarily dividing the interior of the housing i into a nlm compartment and a mechanism compartment. 'Ihe outer side wall of the film com- 20 partment is constituted, at least in part, by a door section l hinged at 4 to the end wall I. To the partition 2 is secured a bracket 5 formed with bosses 8, 5' in which are secured upper and lower guide rods 1 and 8 mounted horizontally and suitably spaced from each other. On the rods 1 and l is sl-idably mounted a carriage l by means of bosses, I0, ill', the bosses C, O'fon each rod being located to permit ample movement of the carriage with its bosses for the purpose set forth below. On the carriage is mounted a gate base I i located by its apertures i2 receiving dowel pins I I extending from the carriage 9, as shown more clearly in Figure 5. The base is secured to the carriage by a screw I4 threaded into the carriage and having a knurled head il bearing against the free end of a spacer sleeve II extending from the base. 'Ihe screw and sleeve are of such length as to bring the head rather close to the door 3 for easy reach.

To the partition 2 is secured an aperture plate il' in edgewise manner and perpendicular thereto in more or less the usual fashion. The gate base i carries a gate body I1 standing vertically and parallel to the aperture plate tc cooperate in holding the film against the latter. The body i1 is a box-like structure having a detachable face wall il to enable assembly of other parts therein.

In the plate Il are mounted a number of alined v pads, each consisting of a pair of vertically distions disposed outside the plate, as illustrated in Figure 3. 'Ihe ends oi each such pair. inside the base member, are joined vertically and horizontally by thin metal strips 2| suitably fastened to the ends, by means of screws 22.

A vertical rod 2l is rotatably mounted in the body I1 near one oi its side walls and extends from top to bottom. Leaf springs 2l are wrapped around the rod, with one end anchored thereto and the other end engaging a horizontal strip 2| to exert an outward pressure on the pads. A ilxed arm 2l extends from the rod 23 into the body l1 and has its free end engaged by a set screw 2l threaded in the back of the body, whereby the tension of the springs 24 against the pads may be adjusted.

The pads above and below the aperture are separate from these at the sides oi the aperture. Thus, although the illm is engaged by pads over a substantial length, a splice engaging any pair oi' pads will not aii'ect the film over this entire length, but only at those pads engaged by the splice.

The aperture plate Il has the usual film aperture 21 with vertical marginal guides 2l between which the iilm is adapted to run. Runways 29 are extended from the guides into the aperture and are engageable by the margins of the nlm when the latter is inserted between the guides. The U-shaped members of the illm pads are so positioned laterally as to hold the iilm against the runways 2! by the adjusted tension oi' the springs 2l, as shown in Figure 2.

A fulcrum block 30 is iixedly mounted with relation to the gate base ll and may consist o! an extension oi' the boss C' which is an integral part of the bracket B. A long screw Il threaded into the iulcrum block has rotatably mounted thereon the hub I2 of a toggle operating lever I2.

. A link 3l extends rigidly from the hub approximately half way to one of the bosses Il' of the carriage l. A link Il joins the last named boss to the iree end of the link 2l and is plvotally attached to both parts to complete the toggle which is operated by the lever Il.

Figure 1 illustrates the locked position of the gate against the aperture plate in one of the extreme positions of the toggle. The intermediate knuckle JI of the toggle is below the line of centers o! the end knuckles and the inner end of the link Il extends into and bears against the bottom of a slot 21 in the link Il. Thus, the gate cannot back away from the aperture plate, unless the lever Il is actuated, and consequently no springs are needed to hold the gate in its operative position. This construction obviously simpliiies the device and reduces the cost and also eliminates the undesirable slamming of the gate against the film and aperture plate resulting from the use oi' gate springs.

The base and body of the gate are readily removed from the projector housing, when desired, by releasing the screws Il and Il. I'he carriage 9 and bracket l may be removed by releasing the screws Il which fasten the latter to the partition 2.

'I'he inner surface o! the door I carries a stop 29 which lies over the free end of the toggle operating lever 3l when the latter is in the locking position shown in Figures l and 5. 'Ihe stop is constructed to strike against the lever when the latter is in release position, so that the door cannot be closed unless the gate is closed.

The back wall of the gate body l1 is formed with a flanged opening Il to receive a split light tube 4I having one end srooved at l2 to receive the flange when inserted in the opening. At opposite sides of its split 4l, the tube has linger pieces u by which it may be grasped to compress the tube for insertion or removal. The tube Il is received telescopically in a light and lens tube 4l carried by the housing, so that the light beam is fully enclosed regardless o! the movements of the gate.

At the lower end of the gate is a device for holding the illm ilrmly against an adjacent roller or sprocket I8 (Figure 1). This device includes a back plate 41 at the ends of which are pairs oi thin metal shoes Il. The back plate is supported by a screw I! passed loosely therethrough and threaded into a lip 50 extending angularly and rearwardly from the lower end of the plate Il. The shoes of each pair engage the iilm at both sides o1' the rows of perforations therein for the sprocket teeth. The shoes are maintained in their proper spacing by spacer rods 5I passed through their ends, as shown in Figure 3.

The free end of the screw 49 carries a hollow nut 52 in which is seated a spring 53 bearing against the member I1. Through the spring, the shoes Il hold the iilm under pressure against the member 4l. The shoes are also capable of a universal movement, in response to variations in the thickness of the illm, by reason of the loose mounting oi' the screw 4l in the plate 41. The pressure oi the spring is adjusted by turning the nut l2 on its threads.

Although a speciilc embodiment of the invenl non has been illustrated and described, 1t wm be understood that various alterations in the details of constructiton may be made without departing from the scope oi' the invention, as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a motion picture projector, a housing, an aperture plate supported therein, a gate slidably mounted relatively to said plate, a iulcrum support fixed relatively to said aperture plate, a toggle link fulcrumed on said support, and another link pivotally connected to the first link and to the movable gate structure, means for actuating the first link, the connection between the links being oi! the line of centers oi' the fulcrum axis and the connection of the second link to the gate structure when the gate is in closed position, and stop means at the iirst named connection limiting further movement oi.' said connection in the same direction away from said line of centers.

2. In a motion picture projector, a housing, an aperture plate supported therein, a gate slidably mounted relatively to said plate, a toggle mechanism for sliding said gate and holding it in operative position against said plate, a lever for operating said toggle, a door for said housing, and a stop projecting from the inner surface of said door and engageable by said lever when in other than the gate-closing position.

3. In a motion picture projector, a housing, an aperture plate supported therein, a gate slidably mounted relatively to said plate, a fulcrum support fixed relatively to said aperture plate, a toggle link fulcrumed on said support, and another link pivotally connected to the first link and to the movable gate structure, means for actuating the first link, the connection between the links being oi! the line oi centers of the fulcrum axis and the connection ot the second link to the gate structure when the gate is in closed position.

4. In a motion picture projector, a housing, an

aperture plate supported therein, a gate slidably mounted relatively to said plate, a fulcrum support fixed relatively to said aperture plate, a. toggle link fulcrumed on said support, and another link pivotally connected to the first link and to the movable gate structure, means for actuating the rst link, the connection between the links being off the line of centers of the fulcrum axis and the connection of the second link to the gate structure when the gate is in closed position, and means for limiting further move ment of said connection in the same direction away from said line of centers.

KARL BRENKERT. 

